Process of recovering metal from alkaline solutions.



. H. R. ELLIS. PROCESS OF REGOV ERI NG METAL FROM ALKALINE SOLUTIONS.

' APPLICATION IILED JUNE 4, 1914.

1,115,523. pat fitea Nov. 3,-1914.

1/ t) W77 0 @513 I UNITED STATES marnmorsammxacrrnunn.

i PROCESS OF REGOVEBUG' mar. IBOI ALKALINE SOLUTIOI'S.

7 Specification of Letters latent.

u manned-Justine menus V v To all whom it. may concern:

Beit known thatLHmmrR'Euas, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and' State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PM of Recovering Metals from Alkaline Solutions, of which the following is a specification,

In the patent granted me April 14, 1903, No. 725,548, I have described and a process of extracting copper from its carbonate and oxid ores by using the carbonate or bicarbonate of soda orpotash or mixtures as a solvent and afterward recovering the metallic copper by electrolysis or as a sulfid. r r

My present invention relates to the precipitation of'the copper held in solution by the alkaline carbonates 1 lncarryingoutmyproce s, empo an of mercury with any one of the alkali metals, such as sodium or potasinm, or of the alkaline-earth metals, such as calcium, or a combination of any two or more, or all of them. This maybe used in the clear solution,- or in e solution while the slimes of the ore are held in sus-' pensi n by agitation. The may heusedin a finestate offsubdivision by spraying into the solution, in which case the copper precipitates on the surface of the me particles andis ted theres with. It is then settled out of the solution and the "copper recovered in well known Eother method of using the amalgam is to employ itas the positive element of an electrolytic couple, 4 dra which shows a vertical 'tudinalsectlonofanappah-atusforcarrymgout InthisviewAlisavatcofl: e copper charged so mice, in bottom of which vat-is placed a body of Bformed ofmercuryandoneor moreofthealkalimetalgor metals. Above the layer of hung copper plates C,-- or filaments or any cond plates which as illustaated 1n the When the copper solution is the greater part of the copper is deposlted and a' small part of the copper enters the a The copper is recovered thereafter by well known means.

It will be understood that in my former patent, No. 725,548, hereinbefore referred to, the process therein described provides for the extraction of copper from carbonate and om'd ores by treating them with an aqueous solution of carbonate of soda or its described equivalent Iamalsoawarvethatan ofthe alkalis or alkali earths has been used to pre cipitate gold and silver from cyanid solution, but this does not meet, nor-anticipate the application of such amalgams to the copper solutions described which involve experiment and new chemical operations.

I claim: 7 1. The process of ing copper from its carbonate or oxid ores or materials containing the carbonates or oxids .of t pper, which in subjecting such ores or materials to the action of a solution containing1 an alkali carbonate or bicarbonate as escribed, and precipitating the co per from such solution with an amalglm of the alkaline-earths, substantially as de- 2. The process of extracting and recovercopper from its carbonate or oxid ores or frommaterials containing the carbonates or oxids of copper, which consists in such ores or materials tothe'aetlon 0 or bicarbonate as'described,-and,thcn precipita the mpg; from* such solution with a y divi amalgam of any of the alkali metals or metals of the alkalineearths, substantially-as described. V In testimony whereof in presence of two witnesses.

* HENRY n GaomEWaaaox, I

a c. Erna, Jr.

brought into contact with m Patented Nov. 3,1 14.

,upon the plates or filaments in a pure state and recoveranvofthealkalimetalsormetals' a solution containing an alkali carbonate Iafixmysignature 

